A Mixed-Use Development Case Study: The Brick & Mortar District

When was the last time you named a pet? It isn’t as easy as it seems, is it? Going through family names, trendy names, reminiscing about whom the names remind you of, and the pros and cons of the length of the name or the nickname and the memories it brings to life. And it needs to be a name that works for the pet as it ages, a name that it can grow into. Well, now, imagine naming a community! A place that people are going to call home, a place where they will invite people to visit and where they will create memories with family and friends. Neighborhoods grow and mature over time, so creating a sense of place and choosing a name that relates to the placemaking goals, brand promise and vision of the end product is paramount.

What's in a name?

Bringing a new home development out of the ground means coordinating many moving parts, from land entitlement to zoning and land development. Milesbrand works to create a timeless brand; naming the community is a big part of bringing the brand to life. New home communities need to be memorable and have a real estate brand identity that sticks in the buyer’s mind. To create an effective community name, it must be meaningful, distinctive, positive and visual.

How do you name a mixed-use community?

Milesbrand was asked to name and brand an eclectic, new, mixed-used portion of the Plum Creek community in Kyle, Texas, just outside of Austin. The goal was to define and differentiate this community while articulating its many benefits. The brand needed to create a sense of place while also inviting and inspiring interest and exploration by the target audience. We recommended something solid and tangible in juxtaposition to the virtual lives that so many people in our target audience seemed to lead daily, stuck behind a Zoom screen and working from home. People seem to yearn for something solid that will stand the test of time, and this is how The Brick & Mortar District came to be.

An overview of the development

The Brick & Mortar District is a collaboration between developers Momark and Cardinal, bringing unique perspectives to the mixed-use community. Momark’s desire to create modern, friendly spaces with shops and eats just a short stroll from home combined with Cardinal’s experience creating communities with risk-appropriate long-term return on investment.

The logo

The perfect logo needed to resonate with the targeted buyer related to a socially connected place where affordability and location are the overarching drivers. Expressing the development’s practical comfort and individuality values, the logo chosen resembles a vintage bottlecap, a symbol of nostalgia and timeless style. It is strong like brick and shown in a deep red to connotate the connection to the steadfastness of brick and a reflection on history.

Other design elements

Other elements created for Brick and Mortar include a tagline: More to the Mix. This gives a nod to the social aspect of the community while also reflecting on the mixing of mortar to stack brick. The Kyle water tower is incorporated with a vintage turn table in website design mock-ups to provide further connections.

Design elements and the logo are carried through many ideations, including hats, mugs, shirts, water bottles, bus stop billboards, social media and more.

Like a playlist or a guest list, for that matter, the mix at Brick & Mortar dials up the excitement and dials in the chemistry. As much as anything else, it is a celebration of a place—where what you need and what you love are next-door neighbors. More to see, do, and enjoy. More to the mix.

Branding a neighborhood with Milesbrand

Are you looking to brand your next development or neighborhood successfully? Working with Milesbrand means you will differentiate your offering from the competitors. Drawing on our decades of experience and our 3-Step Proprietary Branding Process, we will make your brand unique. Contact us today to discover how we can take you from land to brand through our tried-and-true branding process.